Jammu, July 31: The Government of India (GoI) on Monday informed the Parliament that the decision regarding the auctioning of the huge Lithium mineral block in Jammu & Kashmir will be taken by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
This information was given by Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi in the Parliament.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) carried out a ‘preliminary exploration’ i.e. G3 stage mineral exploration project on Bauxite, Rare Earth Elements and Lithium in Salal- Haimna areas of Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir during FS 2020-21 & 2021-22 and has confirmed an inferred resource (G3) of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore.
The union minister further informed the Parliament that there are scattered houses in the mineralised block of Salal-Haimna in Reasi District, Jammu & Kashmir.
The processing and refining methods for lithium ore can vary depending on the type of lithium deposit, the characteristics of the ore, and the intended end-use of the lithium compounds, Joshi said. He further informed the Parliament and said that the J&K Government will take the decision about auctioning lithium.
Meanwhile, the union minister said, India is capable of developing technologies for the beneficiation of lithium ore to lithium mineral concentrate.
Successful experimentation has been done for the extraction of lithium from the mineral concentrate on the laboratory scale, the union minister added.
Meanwhile, the Director, Geology and Mining, OP Bhagat said, “There are houses, some schools, roads, etc in the 3.5 sq km area where lithium has been discovered. The survey has already been started to ascertain how much government land, private land, roads, schools, houses, etc are there in this 3.5 sq km area. The survey for demarcation of the land/area has been started in Reasi where the lithium reserves were discovered.”
